Tips for installing bulkheads in brute trash cans

[Bmezz]

U think i should flip the bulkhead to have the nut side outside? I've only ever seen them installed this way

yes thats what i did and have no problem. make the seal best on the inside where the pressure is.

 

[kurtsnape]

Like the title says, im looking for tips on how to install bulkheads on brute trash cans. I just installed one and its leaking. Wanted to see if theres anything i could be doing wrong/anything I could do to get it to stop leaking.

I learned to use a rubber washer non both the inside and outside of the Brute can. Sandwhich the brute between the 2 rubber washers

 

[TimMclennan]

On 55 gal poly drums this works, don't know why it wouldn't on brute cans... cut a couple chunks of 2x4 to 3.5x3.5 or whatever size covers your bulkhead square blocks. Sand down the corners some. Drill a 5/16 hole through the centers. Figure out where you want the fitting and drill a 5/16 hole there. Use a heat gun to heat the area until it's softened up, not too hot! Put a wood block on each side and run a 1/4 bolt through to clamp them together with the hot plastic in between. It will form a flat area to seat your bulkhead.

 

[Whyteboy]

I know this doesn't really help you now but if you do a second can maybe it will. The higher up the wall of the can the more flexible the material is since it is away from the rigid bend on the bottom on the can. You'll have much better success if you drill your hole a couple inches higher and use a elbow inside the can to syphon the remaining water out that won't flow out on its own. As for this can I would try some plumbers lubricant or silicone to get it to seal. Also make sure you have a basin under it to catch water if it starts to leak in the future after it is sealed.

 

[Xero]

i've installed bulkheads to brutes/buckets many times now. I've used CPR, Lifegard, and those white home depot ones (someone here had pictured them as well.) I've used threadxslip, threadxthread, all sorts of variations. I've installed them flange in, flange out, etc, depending on access and which side i needed the thread or slip fittings (if it was slipxthread or threadxslip)

I've never had one leak when done correctly regardless of ANY of that. And I would never use a uniseal on a bucket i feel this is less reliable than a bulkhead regardless of the flat vs curved thing. A brute trash can is not made of metal. The thing should flex and bend and seal pretty easily. I've even installed them onto narrower diameter buckets (meaning larger radius) made out of thicker material, i find no reason this should prevent a proper seal in my experience.

Also, there's nothing wrong with giving a bulkhead like a quarter turn with a gigantic wrench. Many manufacturers even say this is what you're supposed to do - hand tighten, then 1/4 turn with a wrench. Yeah, you could crack the bulkhead, but it's already leaking. At this point, i'd be just replacing it with another bulkhead and calling it a day. It's probably either: a bad bulkhead, a bad flange/gasket, a badly drilled hole, some combination of these that just refuses to line up, etc.

 

[Bthomas]

So i cleaned up the hole a bit, replaced it with a new bulkhead and all seems to be fine now..
Hoping i dont have any problems with the other 2 i need to install..

 

[Solis Reef]

U need to install a uniseal it work better on round surface

 

[Salt1972]

Others have already chimed in, but the bulkhead has to have the flange on the inside (pressure) side with the rubber washer seal on the inside as well.

 

[Bthomas]

If im filling it over the bulkhead with no leaks should i assume it's safe? Or would it be more likely to leak when the can is completely full?

 

[radiata]

-1 for Uniseals - they are, after all, made of rubber. In saltwater they will, over time, become hard and brittle. (Ever notice what saltwater does to rubber bands?) I've actually replaced Uuiseals in a skimmer that was manufactured using them.

 

[LJLKRL05]

If im filling it over the bulkhead with no leaks should i assume it's safe? Or would it be more likely to leak when the can is completely full?

If you get water level above the bulkhead with no leaks you should be fine.

 

[Leslie88]

Just curious, but no issues with leaks using a pump off the uniseal? The vibration isntan issue?

 

[Sleepydoc]

Another huge vote for uniseals.

Bulkheads are made for flat surfaces. The gasket can accommodate some flex and imperfections, but the gasket and flange are flat and need good contact with the surface to seal; a curved surface prevents that. You may be able to get around it by adding extra gasket material, tightening more to flatten out the surface, heating the surface, etc, but ultimately you’re trying to use a flat bulkhead on a curved surface. Most bulkheads are made of ABS plastic, which is not terribly strong, so you need to be careful when tighentening so you don’t crack it. (As an aside, the gasket should always go on the flange side for bulkheads. Flipping the bulkhead so the flange is on the inside won’t help - it just moves the failure point from the lateral/outer edges of the curve to the vertical/inner edges of the curve. )

I and countless others have used bulkheads for years without a single issue - curved surfaces are exactly what they are designed for. They are quick to install, easy to use and reliable. I have used thread sealant as a lubricant to help insert the pipes. (I think BRS suggests Windex) As stated above, you need to make sure the inner surface is de-burred, but that apples to bulkheads, too.

FWIW, uniseals are not made made from true rubber and are made from different material than rubber bands.